The present invention relates to medical imaging. In particular, transducer arrays disposed within an inter-cavity, intra-operative, or catheter housing is provided.
Medical imaging involves several invasive and non-invasive techniques and procedures. Non-invasive imaging using ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”), positron emission tomography (“PET”), and computed tomography (“CT”), commonly occurs everyday. Physicians, technicians, and medical professionals also utilize invasive imaging for diagnostic and treatment purposes. For example, in the field of endoscopy, doctors may use various scopes or tubes to view the inner anatomy and physiology of a patient, such as a human or animal. Furthermore, doctors, such as cardiologists, may use ultrasonic catheters to view internal anatomy, such as the inner chambers of a heart. Generally, ultrasonic catheters include a transducer array that is used to convert between electrical and acoustic energies for generating images of internal organs and physiology.
Known ultrasonic catheters may utilize one transducer array for scanning a two dimensional region while maneuvering the catheter within a body. A three dimensional (“3D”) volume may be scanned by rotating the ultrasonic catheter back and forth to capture a plurality of data. In a transducer probe used outside the body of a patient, mechanical structures, commonly referred to as a “wobbler,” rotate the array.
Biplane transducer arrays that are rotated 90 degrees from each other (i.e., a+or T shape) are used to allow a doctor to view two image planes at once. However, such a design may not fit in a catheter, especially due to the number of cable connections needed to communicate with the transducer arrays and the small size of catheters.